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Trump bets on former NATO troublemaker as Turkey’s strategic value surges

Trump bets on former NATO troublemaker as Turkey’s strategic value surges

President Donald Trump says he’s attending the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, for one reason: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. “I’m going because of Erdoğan,” Trump told reporters June 24, calling the Turkish leader “a friend” and “a respected leader” while signaling that closer defense cooperation between Washington and Ankara could be on the horizon. The summit will begin Tuesday in Ankara, Turkey. The remarks underscore a striking shift in the relationship between Washington and Turkey. Just a few years ago, after Turkey took delivery of Russia’s S-400 air defense system in 2019, Washington expelled it from the multinational F-35 fighter program and, the following year, imposed sanctions on Turkey’s defense procurement agency, cementing its reputation as one of NATO’s most difficult allies. TRUMP’S TURKEY ARMS SALE PROPOSAL SPARKS CONGRESSIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE NATO SUMMIT Today, despite many of those disputes remaining unresolved, Turkey has become increasingly difficult for the alliance to sideline as NATO confronts Russia, instability across the Middle East and an increasingly contested Black Sea, analysts and former officials say. “Turkey is crucial to the Trump administration,” former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey James Jeffrey, who served as Trump’s special representative for Syria during his first term, told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has a great relationship with President Erdoğan of Turkey, who has been an incredible partner in the region,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital in a statement, adding that Trump would have a bilateral meeting with Erdoğan at the NATO Summit.  Jeffrey said Trump’s affinity for Erdoğan is genuine but reflects more than personal chemistry. TRUMP’S PERSONAL FEUDS WITH ALLIES FROM ITALY TO ISRAEL REVEAL HOW PERSONALITY DRIVES HIS FOREIGN POLICY “The first reason, which is unique to Trump, is he really likes Erdoğan, and Erdoğan likes him,” Jeffrey said. “It’s the idea of a tough guy who is decisive.” But Jeffrey argued the strategic rationale extends well beyond the relationship between the two leaders, describing Turkey as “essential to maintaining the U.S. perimeter around Eurasia” because of its military strength, geographic position and willingness to project power. NATO is returning to the fundamentals of collective defense after decades focused largely on counterterrorism, said Hudson Institute think tank senior fellow Can Kasapoğlu, placing renewed pressure on allies to bring significant military capability to the table. “When the alliance is back to its Cold War default, the question of what you are bringing to the table is getting more important,” he said. “The nations bringing hard-power capability to NATO are going to get VIP treatment.” NATO agreed to a defense spending target of 5% of GDP for all allies in 2025, after years of Trump complaining that European allies and their weak defense spending were “ripping off” the U.S. Both Trump’s attacks on NATO and the Russian war on Ukraine changed the calculus. Turkey fields NATO’s second-largest military after the United States. It controls the Bosporus and Dardanelles, borders Syria, Iraq and Iran, and has built one of NATO’s largest defense industries. “There is no real security for NATO without full integration of Turkey,” Rich Outzen, a former State Department advisor and nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said during a recent NATO summit preview. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, instability across the Middle East and the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria have only heightened Turkey’s strategic value, analysts say. Jeffrey argued Turkey “has been essential to Ukraine staying in the fight,” citing Ankara’s enforcement of the 1936 Montreux Convention, which prevented additional Russian naval reinforcements from entering the Black Sea, its early provision of Bayraktar drones to Kyiv and its role as an intermediary between Ukraine and Russia. “You can’t contain Russia in the Black Sea without Turkey,” Jeffrey said. The collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime also has brought Washington and Turkey into closer strategic alignment after years of disagreements over Syria. Jeffrey argued Turkey played a central role in backing the opposition that ultimately toppled Assad, dealing a major blow to both Iran and Russia. “One of Iran’s big losses in the past three years has been Syria — and that’s all Erdogan,” he said. Not everyone is convinced Turkey’s growing strategic value should outweigh those concerns. Critics argue Turkey’s foreign policy has increasingly diverged from that of many NATO allies under Erdoğan. They point to Turkey’s vocal support for Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, its continued possession of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, and its efforts to deepen ties with non-Western blocs such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, organizations in which China and Russia play leading roles. “Turkey is the only member country inside of NATO that has applied for membership in entities such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS,” Sinan Ciddi, senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said during a press briefing Wednesday. He also argued Turkey is unique within the alliance in openly supporting Hamas while seeking expanded access to advanced U.S. defense technology. Erdoğan repeatedly has defended Hamas and rejected efforts to classify the group as a terrorist organization, putting Turkey at odds with Washington and many other NATO allies. Critics argue that position complicates efforts to deepen U.S.-Turkey defense ties — despite Trump’s personal affection for the Turkish leader. “The only thing that really stands in the way against Erdoğan’s wishes is essentially the United States Congress,” Ciddi said. The Trump administration faced congressional pushback, largely from Democrats, over its decision to move forward with a $700 million arms sale to Turkey. Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, accused the State Department of failing to justify the decision or adequately address concerns about Turkey’s continued possession of the Russian-made S-400 system. The Turkish embassy could not immediately be reached for comment.  Jeffrey said the proposed $700 million sale of F110 fighter engines is a more manageable issue than restoring Turkey to the F-35 program, arguing the latter remains constrained by the S-400 because operating the Russian air

Sources corroborate whistleblower claims of corruption, quid pro quo culture inside powerful NYC union

Sources corroborate whistleblower claims of corruption, quid pro quo culture inside powerful NYC union

FIRST ON FOX: A scathing whistleblower letter alleges corruption inside New York City’s powerful hotel workers union, including claims that union leaders accepted gifts from hotel executives, manipulated lease arrangements and improperly influenced union business in a culture of quid pro quo dealings — claims that were corroborated by union sources who spoke with Fox News Digital. The letter, reviewed by Fox News Digital, asserts that top officials within the New York Hotel Trades Council and UNITE HERE Local 6, including President Richard Maroko, participated in actions that violated internal policies, fiduciary obligations and possibly federal law. The union denies all allegations of impropriety and organized two internal investigations carried out by third-party lawyers who found the whistleblower’s claims to be unsubstantiated. Fox News Digital spoke with the whistleblower and multiple sources with knowledge of the union’s inner dealings but is not identifying them by name due to fear of retaliation. EXPLOSIVE REPORT UNEARTHS PROMINENT UNION MONEY TRAIL LABELED A ‘STUNNING BETRAYAL’ OF MAGA MEMBERS “Mr. Maroko had personal knowledge of, and either directly participated or directed others to misappropriate millions of dollars of retail income,” the letter states. “He accepted and allowed his Elected Officers to accept gifts of Hotel Rooms, Liquor, Gourmet Food and Electronic Items from Hotel Officials on a Quid Pro Quo System.” A source with intimate knowledge of union operations told Fox News Digital that there was a sudden shift in HTC’s culture after Maroko ascended to the presidency in fall 2020. “For 25 years, maybe 24 years, there was a standard then that was really adhered to. [The former president] was very disciplined about it as far as receiving gifts and what you did and didn’t do,” the source, who has decades of experience working with the union, said. “And the past five years when the new president came in, that was completely tossed.” “Pretty soon,” the source said, referring to when the rules were relaxed when Maroko took over. “It wasn’t like they flipped the switch, but… it just wasn’t important to him. I brought a bunch of things to his attention that he just wasn’t interested [in].” Crain’s New York Business reported in June that the Hotel Association of New York City, a trade group representing hotel interests, retained former Southern District of New York public corruption chief Brendan McGuire to investigate allegations contained in the letter. “Two exhaustive, independent investigations, including one by a former federal prosecutor, have concluded that these anonymous claims are frivolous, lack any factual basis, and were clearly an attempt to derail contract negotiations between the union and hotel management,” HTC spokesman Austin Shafran told Fox News Digital. “Thankfully, these efforts failed as our union secured the best contract in its history that will provide unprecedented wage increases and benefits to tens of thousands of hotel workers. Nothing will ever deter the union from working every day to better the lives of our members and their families.” NEW YORK TIMES ACCUSED OF DEPLOYING AI SURVEILLANCE ON TECH STAFF WITHOUT NOTIFYING THEIR UNION Key components of the letter are supported by documents and accounts from multiple individuals with firsthand knowledge and insight into the day-to-day operations inside the union’s 8th Avenue headquarters in New York City, a Fox News Digital review found. The whistleblower letter alleges that hotel industry figures, including former Highgate labor executive Robert Lafferty and former Hyatt labor executive Michael Grosso, provided union officials with gifts including food, top-shelf liquor and electronic items. The two investigations organized by the union, however, found no evidence of improper gift-giving. Highgate is one of the largest lodging operators in the nation and Hyatt is a major hotel owner. “Hyatt is committed to conducting business in a fair and ethical manner,” a Hyatt spokesperson told Fox News Digital in a statement. “As soon as we became aware of these allegations, we promptly engaged an independent third party to conduct a thorough investigation, which found the allegations to be unsubstantiated.” The spokesperson added, “The individual departed Hyatt before these allegations were raised and no longer has any role with Hyatt.” In addition to providing gifts to union officials, a former union leader told Fox News Digital that the duo of hotel executives served as “inside guys” who could keep HTC union leadership informed about what was going on in boardrooms so that they could protect their own power. These favors, according to the longtime union leader, preceded contracts that benefited hotel owners to the detriment of workers. “If I could cut away one department [from being unionized], you’re talking about millions of dollars per year over the life of a contract, and if Lafferty could deliver that to the owners, then what he’s now doing is changing the entire economic structure of hundreds of millions of dollars in a real estate transaction,” the former union leader told Fox News Digital. UNION RACKED UP MASSIVE TAB ON SWANK DC HOTEL STAY TO BATTLE TRUMP — AND STILL LOST “The union’s ability to make your property profitable or not is all its leverage. So that’s the inside that’s what’s going on there,” they continued. “If you look at every time Lafferty made a deal with [Maroko] on one of these new properties, you’re going to see that all these weird deals are made where bargaining unit members are cut out. How come at your properties there’s no front desk agents? How come at your properties food and beverage isn’t under the union contract, but it is everywhere else?” Fox News Digital has reviewed photos that appear to show hotel industry figures or their associates entering union offices with shopping bags. Two people familiar with the union’s internal operations told Fox News Digital the gift-giving was not isolated and that accepting items from hotel management would have violated longstanding union norms and policies. Two internal investigations conducted by third-party lawyers on behalf of the union could not corroborate claims of improper gift-giving made by the whistleblower. The longtime union member and leader attested to an unusual relationship

Far-left House candidate ripped for ‘disgusting’ vote on misgendering bill: ‘Disqualifying’

Far-left House candidate ripped for ‘disgusting’ vote on misgendering bill: ‘Disqualifying’

Manny Rutinel, a far-left state legislator and House candidate in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, voted in support of a bill that instructed courts to take pronoun use into consideration as a factor when deciding child custody cases. In particular, the Kelly Loving Act required courts to deem “deadnaming” and “misgendering” as a kind of coercive control “A court shall consider reports of coercive control when determining the allocation of parental responsibilities in accordance with the best interest of the child,” the bill initially read when Rutinel voted for it. MAMDANI COMPARISONS FOLLOW COLORADO DEMOCRAT INTO PIVOTAL HOUSE RACE AFTER PRIMARY WIN Rutinel’s vote in favor of the package is drawing scrutiny as he wages a bid to unseat Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., in one of the country’s most competitive congressional races, raising questions about his position on parental authority when it comes to issues like gender. To at least one Republican strategist, the vote speaks for itself. “Far-left liberal Manny Rutinel wants the government to take away your kids if you don’t adopt his radical transgender agenda. Disgusting and disqualifying. Rutinel will be resoundingly rejected by Coloradans this fall,” Zach Bannon, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. Rutinel’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the bill or what led him to support it. The Kelly Loving Act, named after a 40-year-old transgender woman who was one of the five victims in the 2022 Club Q mass shooting in Colorado Springs, deals largely with how the state plans to handle preferred pronouns. It would allow residents to change the sex designation on official documents like birth certificates and state identification and, for schools that make policies about names, instruct education providers to include “all reasons” that a student might adopt a name different from their legal one. BILL REPLACING ‘MOTHER’ AND ‘FATHER’ WITH GENDER-NEUTRAL TERMS PASSES IN NEW YORK, HEADS TO HOCHUL’S DESK The bill would also make it a “discriminatory practice” and unlawful to publish materials that misgender a person. The bill passed out of the Colorado House of Representatives, 40-24. At the time of its passage, the bill drew criticism from groups like the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network that filed lawsuits against the bill, citing First Amendment concerns. “The Act’s new definition of ‘gender expression’ is unconstitutionally overbroad,” their lawsuit read. “Because it covers any treatment based on the use of a ‘chosen name’ or other forms of preferred ‘address,’ it punishes many forms of constitutionally protected speech.” Notably, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, like Rutinel, did not issue a statement at the time of its passage despite controversy that had made it a matter of national attention. Although the bill passed both chambers of the Colorado State legislature and was signed into law in May 2025, some of the most controversial provisions, including misgendering, were stripped out weeks after Rutinel’s vote. A number of cases, including the one from Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, are still under consideration. COLORADO SUPREME COURT ORDERS CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL TO RESUME GENDER TRANSITION TREATMENTS FOR MINORS Having clinched the Democratic nomination for his congressional bid last week, Rutinel will face off against Evans in the state’s general election on Nov. 3. Evans won his seat in 2024 in a 49% to 48.2% victory over Democratic incumbent Rep. Yadira Caraveo, D-Colo.

Sports stadium becomes home for victims of the Venezuela earthquakes

Sports stadium becomes home for victims of the Venezuela earthquakes

NewsFeed A sports stadium in La Guaira state has been turned into a makeshift home and logistics centre for thousands of victims of the Venezuela earthquakes. As Al Jazeera’s Zein Basravi reports aid organizations are planning to make this a model for other shelters. Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026 Click here to share on social media share-nodes Share googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Adblock test (Why?)

OPEC+ countries say they will expand monthly oil production

OPEC+ countries say they will expand monthly oil production

Seven OPEC+ members, including Saudi Arabia and Russia, to increase output by 188,000 barrels per day. Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026 OPEC+ members have announced plans to boost oil production as energy markets show tentative signs of recovery amid the fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran. OPEC+ said on Sunday that seven member countries – Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Algeria, and Oman – would raise output by 188,000 barrels per day from August after officials held a virtual meeting to “review global market conditions and outlook”. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The production boost is the fifth consecutive increase announced by the seven OPEC+ members in as many months, continuing a gradual unwinding of production cuts announced in 2023. OPEC+, which includes the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allied oil producers – including Russia, Bahrain and Oman – cut output in April 2023, and again in November 2023, amid a string of bank collapses that triggered a major sell-off in oil and other commodities. “The countries will continue to closely monitor and assess market conditions,” the intergovernmental organisation said in a statement, adding that officials had “reaffirmed the importance of adopting a cautious approach and retaining full flexibility to increase, pause or reverse the phase out of the voluntary production adjustments”. The seven member countries added that they would meet again on August 2 to review the situation. After briefly topping $126 a barrel in April, Brent crude oil prices have fallen back to pre-war levels in recent days amid growing hopes for a permanent end to the Iran conflict and a return to normal shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Advertisement Traffic in the strait has ticked up since US President Donald Trump and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed their memorandum of understanding on ending the war on June 17, though it remains far below pre-conflict levels. There were 38 confirmed transits in the strait on July 2, down from 48 on July 1, according to the vessel tracking platform MarineTraffic, compared with roughly 130 daily crossings before the war. Brent crude futures for September delivery stood at $72 as of 02:01 GMT on Monday, below Brent’s settlement price of $72.48 on February 27, the day before US and Israel launched strikes on Iran, starting the war. Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies before the start of the war, forced OPEC+ members to slash production as a growing backlog of unshipped barrels maxed out the region’s crude storage capacity. Total OPEC+ production dropped to 33.13 million bpd in May, down from 42.77 million bpd in February, according to OPEC figures. Fabien Yip, a market analyst at IG in Sydney, Australia, described OPEC+’s latest production increases as largely being a “paper formality” in light of the real-world conditions affecting supply. “Actual barrels have been constrained for months by the Strait of Hormuz blockade, falling well short of the quota,” Yip told Al Jazeera. “That constraint is now easing, driving prices down. “Saudi Arabia has more than doubled the shipping volume since June 17 than the prior three months combined, and Iran has pushed close to 50 million barrels of its crude to market since the naval blockade lifted,” Yip added, referring to the US naval blockade of Iranian ports. “Add OPEC+’s incremental barrels to that backlog clearing, alongside softer Chinese demand and higher US and Russian exports, and the setup is a near-term oversupply. Oil futures’ retreat to pre-war levels reflects that.” Adblock test (Why?)

Bellingham inspires 10-man England in 3-2 last-16 thriller to beat Mexico

Bellingham inspires 10-man England in 3-2 last-16 thriller to beat Mexico

England hands Mexico their first World Cup loss at Estadio Azteca, winning 3-2 to reach the 2026 quarterfinals. Published On 6 Jul 20266 Jul 2026 Jude Bellingham’s double inflicted a rare defeat on Mexico at their Estadio Azteca as 10-man England won a nerve-racking World Cup classic 3-2 to reach the quarterfinals. Harry Kane also scored from the penalty spot as the Three Lions overcame Jarell Quansah’s red card, high altitude, and a fervent home support on Sunday to keep their quest for a first major tournament win in 60 years alive. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list England have relied on Bellingham and Kane throughout the tournament, and the duo has carried them into a last-eight showdown with Erling Haaland’s Norway. Bellingham struck twice in 98 seconds in the first half to condemn Mexico to just a third defeat in 90 matches at the Azteca. Julian Quinones and Raul Jimenez reduced the Mexican arrears, but they fell short of a place in the quarterfinals. Victory also helped to erase some of England’s nightmarish memories at the Azteca in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup, when Diego Maradona scored a double for Argentina, including the infamous “Hand of God” goal. Sunday’s match was delayed by an hour after a thunderstorm and heavy rain lashed the Mexican capital for hours before the planned 6pm (00:00 GMT) kickoff time. Despite the sodden conditions, more than 80,000 fans crammed into the stadium to create a deafening noise. England coach Thomas Tuchel was wary of a fast start from Mexico as his side adjusted to the altitude of 2,240 metres (7,350 feet) above sea level. Mexico had flown out of the traps when they won a World Cup knockout game for the first time in 40 years against Ecuador 2-0 on Tuesday. Advertisement This time, England managed to keep Javier Aguirre’s side at bay, but they did need a crucial intervention from Jordan Pickford to deny Jimenez opening the scoring with a diving header that was headed for the bottom corner. Tuchel made three changes to the side that needed a heroic performance from Kane to prevent an embarrassing early exit to DR Congo. Quansah was forced to deputise at right-back with Reece James not fit to start for a third consecutive game, opening up Tuchel to criticism over his decision not to select more specialist cover in the position. Anthony Gordon and Bukayo Saka also started out wide, and both made telling contributions. Saka’s cross picked out Bellingham to power in a header for the first goal Mexico conceded in five World Cup games. The hosts failed to compose themselves, as within two minutes, the Real Madrid midfielder had doubled England’s lead. Kane’s ball across fell perfectly for Bellingham to power in his fourth goal of the tournament. Yet what should have been a comfortable lead was nearly wiped out by half-time. Quinones blasted in his fourth goal of the tournament to spark the Mexico rally after England failed to clear a free kick. Jimenez drilled wide and saw another header saved by Pickford before Bellingham made a last-ditch intervention to deny Cesar Montes a certain equaliser. Nico O’Reilly nearly restored England’s two-goal cushion as his deflected shot cannoned off the post. Quansah was shown a straight red card on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a mistimed lunge on Jesus Gallardo. But just six minutes later, the 10 men had added to their lead when Gordon was wiped out by Mexico goalkeeper Raul Rangel and Kane emphatically dispatched the penalty. The England captain’s sixth goal of the tournament puts him just one behind Haaland, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot. The game took another huge momentum swing when, this time, Kane was penalised for a foul inside his own box and Jimenez slotted home the penalty to set up a frantic final 20 minutes. England, though, stood tall, defending at times frantically to resist the Mexican wave during 11 minutes of additional time, and have reached a third consecutive FIFA World Cup quarterfinal. Adblock test (Why?)